Racial profiling does happen in the city of Holland, according to those in the audience who spoke to Human Relations Commission at a special meeting Thursday.

The meeting was called to address the allegation of ethnic intimidation from an incident that happened early Saturday morning.

“It was hate, and we knew that without a shadow of a doubt,” said the Rev. Wayne Coleman, whose truck windows were broken early Saturday morning at his home. He told officers he heard the suspects yell a racial slur at the same time he heard glass breaking.

Coleman is black, as is Marvin Younger, who claimed damage to his vehicle the night before and a guests’ vehicle the same night are also ethnic intimidation. He believes the same suspects are responsible because of the timing.

An officer patrolling the area near Coleman’s home heard glass breaking but did not hear yelling, according to Police Capt. Jack Dykstra. While trying to locate the source of the noise, the officer saw a vehicle leaving the area. Two Holland Township teens led police on a chase in Holland that ended in a crash near 16th Street and U.S. 31.

They were arraigned Monday. Gregory Joseph Lambers, 19, was charged with felony fleeing and eluding and operating while intoxicated. His bond was set at $10,000. Steven Darwin Boeve, 19, was charged with a probation violation and felony resisting and obstructing police. His bond was set at $15,000.

Malicious destruction of property and ethnic intimidation are still being investigated, Public Safety Chief Matt Messer said Thursday. The suspects have been questioned several times, he said, but because there is an ongoing investigation, he had to be careful what details were discussed publicly.

“It’s important to us that we get to the bottom of this complaint,” he said.

Evidence has been sent to the Michigan State Police Crime Lab, but it could be six months before DNA evidence comes back and three or more weeks for fingerprints, Messer said. The Ottawa County Prosecutor will not receive the case to decide if ethnic intimidation and malicious destruction of property can be prosecuted until then. He could give no real time estimate, saying they simply had to wait for it to come back.

The Younger case is closed, Messer said. There is no evidence tying the two crimes together, and markings in the area suggest a car left the road, he said.

“Our goal is to find out what the truth is,” Messer said. “It’s not to make an arrest, it’s to find the truth. We follow facts. We follow evidence. We don’t let our personal feelings and opinions get in the way.”

The allegations prompted the Thursday meetings. After the update on the current cases, several audience members spoke about their concerns about racism in the community, including racial profiling from the police department in the form of various traffic stops. Messer listened but did not address each comment.

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As for Coleman, he said he feels the suspects who committed the crime are also victims. He called for the community to come together and work together as it has in the past.